Basdeo Panday, a former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago who was the first person of Indian descent to hold that position, has died, aged 90.
Panday died on Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement that his daughter, Mickela Panday, posted on social media.
“He passed with his boots on, keeping everybody around him on their toes with his wit and humour,” she wrote.
Panday served twice as prime minister from 1995 to 2001 following key elections that marked a turning point for the Indo-Trinidadians who lived on the twin-island nation, whose population is currently 35 per cent East Indian and 34 per cent of African descent.
Panday was a lawyer, economist and union leader who also co-founded three political parties, including United National Congress. He temporarily stepped down as opposition leader of that party after being convicted in 2006 of failing to disclose a bank account in London.
In 2005, Panday and others were charged with corruption and arrested in a case related to an airport construction contract. The charges were later dropped, with supporters claiming the allegations were political persecution.
Panday is survived by his wife Oma Panday. He had four daughters: Niala, Mickela, Nicola, and Vastala.
Panday had suffered heart issues, undergoing triple bypass surgery in 1989 and an angioplasty procedure in 1995. A month ago, his family issued a statement regarding that said that, after consultation with his doctors in Trinidad and Tobago, Panday travelled to the US to investigate medical concerns about his heart issues.
Comments (0)
We appreciate your feedback. You can comment here with your pseudonym or real name. You can leave a comment with or without entering an email address. All comments will be reviewed before they are published.